Today I Feel Alive
by AllthingsDelena
Summary: *Post series finale* The life and times of Damon and Elena, after they reunited. Started as a one-shot, now gonna be a series of important events in their lives.
1. Today I feel alive

**Hello again! I'm back with another one-shot.**

 **After the series finale, everyone had mixed reactions about how it should've ended. I'm really happy that Delena got their deserving endgame, but I can't help but feel a little disappointed for the things we couldn't get to see on-screen. So I decided to pen it all down. This is basically what the end of 8x16 would've looked like if I was writing it (with some extended time, of course).**

 **A big thanks to faith2727 who did the beta reading at such a short notice. Please check out her stories, I swear you'll not regret it.**

 **Disclaimer : I have no rights over The Vampire Diaries and any of its characters. Just that I can't let Damon and Elena go, I won't. ;)**

* * *

" _Dear Diary,_

 _Today will be different. Today, I will smile. It will be genuine. Because today is the day that I get to live again."_

Elena Gilbert-Salvatore is sitting outside her family's crypt with her journal in her hand. Writing everything down gives her a sense of calm, some sort of peace. _Peace_. Such a foreign concept for someone who has battled the supernatural for a major part of her life. Vampires, werewolves, witches, Originals, hybrids, immortals, travelers, siphoners, heretics, sirens, the Devil, and who can forget the infamous doppelgangers? She lost almost all of her family members, got kidnapped, tortured, sacrificed, resurrected, killed, cursed, body snatched, cured, put in a supernatural coma, blood-jacked and whatnot. But even after everything she's been through, she's content today. Looking back at the last few years, she's happy with where she stands. Although she wishes things could've taken a different turn than what they did, she wouldn't change a thing about the present. Now is a good time to be alive!

* * *

" _This life will be good, and beautiful, but not without heartbreak. In death comes peace, but pain is the cost of living. Like love, it's how we know we are alive."_

She still remembers the day when she woke up from that Sleeping Beauty spell—that's what Damon likes to call it. It was a day of new beginnings for her, but it also had its fair share of pain. She felt so many emotions at once: happiness that she finally got to be with the people she loves, relief that Bonnie didn't have to die and she could spend her life with one of her best friends side-by-side, anxiety about the things that happened while she was asleep, and most of all, grief for the people she lost. Seeing Bonnie trying to spend every waking moment without Enzo made her heart ache. Tyler's death was too soon; he deserved to live his life like all of his friends. But it was Stefan's death that agonized her the most, not only because he was Caroline's husband and Damon's only brother, but he meant something to her too. She loved him, not in the same way now, but he'd always hold a special place in her heart. But she couldn't fall apart, not when Damon needed her the most. So she did what she does best. She stood by him and gave all that she had to him, trying to take some of his pain in the process. With every passing day, the sorrow lessened a bit, and piece by piece, his heart mended and eventually became whole again, thanks to a little addition to their relationship…

 _Elena had been feeling like this for a week now. Moody, tired, and nauseous, but it couldn't be that, could it? Nope, she must be coming down with the flu. But she was later than usual as well. What if Damon thought it was too soon? Yes, they had talked about having kids years ago, but things didn't go as per their plans. Their lives got back on track just a month back. They were literally leaving everything behind in a week for a fresh start in Seattle. How would this unexpected news affect their move? If she wasn't worried about it before, she definitely was now._

" _What's going on in that pretty head of yours?" She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't hear the front door open. Only when Damon came to her and kissed the side of her head did she realize that he was home._

" _Um, nothing. I was just thinking about something," she confessed, biting her lip. It's better to come clean right now than to worry herself to death, she thought._

" _Care to share with me?" he asked._

 _Elena contemplated a nice way to say it, but nothing came to mind. "I think I'm pregnant," she blurted, her heart beating wildly at her own admission. When she glanced at Damon, the look on his face was priceless._

" _You what?" He had a comically shocked expression on his face. His eyeballs appeared ready to pop out of their sockets._

 _She inched closer and cupped his face. "Hey, relax. I'm not 100% sure yet, but all the signs point to it. You don't need to panic about it right this moment. We'll see how it goes, okay?" She was about to withdraw her hands when Damon took a hold of them._

" _No, no, no, wait!" He pulled her closer, if such a thing was even possible. "I didn't mean for it to come out like that. I was just taken by surprise. We are gonna find about it together, and if that's true, we'll be welcoming a little guest in our new house." He smiled, truly smiled. It was the Damon smile, which had been missing since Stefan died._

" _Really?" He nodded, pulling her in for a hug. She embraced him lovingly, seeking comfort in the fact that they were on the same page regarding this prospective good news._

" _What else did you think? If you're pregnant, this would be the best thing to happen to me since I fell for you."_

 _He looked down at her, his eyes shining with so much love that she couldn't control the tears that came next._

" _Hey, baby. Look here." She tried to hide her face in his shirt, but he was having none of it. He tipped her chin up, kissing the happy tears away. "I'm ready for this. I've been ready for years now. There's nothing in this world that I want other than to build a life with you." She was full-on sobbing then. Damon couldn't help but smile at her, caressing her soft hair._

" _How did I get so lucky?" It was more of a statement than a question. At that moment, it was impossible to think that this man used to be a big bad vampire with an impulsive nature. All she saw now was a man who adored the little family he created with his close friends, who was madly and deeply in love with her, and who would probably be the best father she could've given to her future kids._

" _Probably because I'm the best?" She tried to act offended for a second, but the smirk on Damon's face made her break into a fit of laughter, and he joined in. It felt good to laugh freely without having to worry about the next day. Maybe it was what they needed to be happy again._

" _Okay, I think it's time we find out if we are really going to be parents. You ready for this?" he asked with a hint of nervousness in his voice. Elena knew he was scared, but he was doing a damn good job of hiding it. She felt the need to assure him._

" _I think I am. Let's see what the future holds for us."_

 _Half an hour later, both of them were crying in Damon's bathroom, holding onto each other and a little white stick with two pink lines between them._

* * *

" _After med school, I came home to Mystic Falls. It felt right. It's where I want to grow old. And I did…"_

Four years. For four years, they were away from Mystic Falls. They stayed in Seattle where Elena immersed herself in her studies. Damon was too supportive, helping her in any way possible, first with the pregnancy and then with juggling school and parenthood. Just thinking about it makes an enormous amount of love swell in Elena's heart for the man she now proudly calls her husband and the father of her child. He became a full-time dad, staying in their loft during the day while she was at school, and when she came back in the evening, he used to move downstairs to assume his position as the owner of his bar. Even after that, he'd be there during late-night feedings with Elena. If she loved him any less before, then seeing him as a perfect partner and dad made her fall for him even more. And she usually showed it to him in her own way.

 _Damon was late leaving the bar tonight. It was way past midnight and Elena would probably be dozing off. Crap. Way to spoil a special day._

 _He was wrong though. There she was, resting her head on her arms over the dining table. When she saw him, her eyes lit up. She stood and ran towards him, flinging herself into his arms. He stood there surprised for a moment; this was not the welcome he expected after being more than two hours late, but he'd take it. Embracing her tightly, he twirled her around before moving to the couch. He sat down with her on his lap. When they finally parted enough to look at each other, Elena softly kissed him, pouring all her love and gratitude into the kiss. He deserved to be appreciated for all that he took upon himself for his family._

" _What was that for?" he asked, playing with a stray lock of hair that snuck its way out of her messy bun._

 _She smirked when she thought of the perfect answer. "I'm guessing you had a really crappy day, and you kinda needed it," she said coyly, pulling him in for another kiss, this time more intense. He responded eagerly, bringing her tightly against his chest. Her hands found their way to his hair at the same time her tongue entered his mouth, sensually making love to its counterpart. He lifted her up and moved them to their bedroom, now used to walking blindly in the hallway. Once inside, he shut the door with one foot and deposited Elena on the bed. She pulled him down with her, and before he knew it, he was shirtless and underneath her, totally at her mercy._

" _What if I tell you that my day was crappier than you thought?" He whispered in her ear while she was kissing his jaw._

 _She looked up, noticing the mischievous glint in his eyes. It was her turn to whisper in his ear now. "Then you're in for the night of your life."_

 _And she did deliver on her promise. The remaining clothes were shed in a hurry. Elena worshipped him thoroughly, and when she lowered herself onto his rock-hard member, they both moaned in unison. This was home. It was not a place; it was the space which they shared with each other. Right now, it was the cradle of their bodies._

 _Elena rocked back and forth, looking directly into Damon's eyes. The love, passion, and pleasure reflected in them was just too much to take. She came with a silent scream, pushing herself down on him to the point that he filled her completely. When the tremors subsided, Damon took control and flipped her over. Without losing any contact, he resumed what Elena started, pulling all the way out then slamming in with such intensity that it made her see stars behind her closed eyes. She was close again, but this time, she wanted to go over the edge with him. She squeezed him tightly, and he lost all restraint. With a couple more powerful thrusts, they came together._

 _When they had gotten their heart rates relatively under control, Elena kissed him sweetly and said against his lips, "Happy third anniversary of being a dad."_

 _Dad. He was getting used to hearing it often now. Their little one had learnt to walk before turning one, and they were used to hearing a few words here and there, but it wasn't until a few months back when he heard a "Dad." Now it was his favorite word in the world._

" _Happy third anniversary of being a mommy to you too, baby. Let's continue with our tradition, shall we?" Elena immediately nodded and ran towards the closet to get a nightgown. Damon grabbed his discarded jeans and put them on, then they were making their way towards the bedroom across the hallway._

 _He slowly opened the door, not wanting to disturb the little angel sleeping on the bed. They kept all the presents on the bedside table and kissed their tiny miracle, who wasn't so tiny anymore. Now that he was human again, Damon understood what a few years meant in the grand scheme of things. Three years passed in the blink of an eye. It felt like yesterday when he witnessed Elena giving birth after fourteen hours of labor. All the trials and tribulations were forgotten once the nurse placed their little bundle of joy in their arms. No feeling in the world could ever compare to this, especially when he had given up on the idea of having his own family after he turned. That was the definition of heaven._

 _This was the perfect time for taking that next step. While Elena was busy caressing the mane of brown hair lying atop the pillows, he took out the ring from his back pocket and went down on one knee. Clearing his throat, he got her attention. When she looked at him with a jewelry box in his outstretched hand, she lost it. She sank to her knees before he could utter a word and smashed her lips against his, nodding wildly. When he came up for air, she was the one to say yes. "God, yes. I'll marry you." With the biggest grin on his face, he slipped the beautiful rock on her finger. Their little one was once again a witness to one of the most epic moments of their lives._

After a few months, Elena graduated from med school, topping the class. Among the crowd, her fiancé stood out because he was the only one who was waving frantically with a blue-eyed toddler on his shoulders. Her Mystic Falls gang was there too, celebrating her success as well as helping them pack up for their move back home. Yes, it was time. Mystic Falls was home for both of them. The good memories outweighed the bad ones, and they had decided to raise their kids there. Wait, did she just say kids?

* * *

" _And that's my life. Weird, messy, complicated, sad, wonderful, amazing and above all – epic._

 _And I owe it all to Stefan. When I met him, I had lost my parents. I was dead inside. But he brought me back to life. And I'm going to live it as best as I can, for as long as I can."_

As soon as she finishes writing, a crow flies over her head, but it doesn't scare her now. Rather, she's hit with a memory which makes her smile. She's not a gloomy graveyard girl anymore. She is happy. She has grown up. She's a new wife, a mother, a friend, an aunt, and a resident pediatrician in Mystic Falls Hospital. After her first day at work, she decided to pay a visit to someone who used to be very dear to her. Someone whose sacrifice made sure that she gets her happily ever after with Damon. She'll always be thankful to him for saving her twice. He'd want her to make his brother the happiest man on the planet, and she'll continue to do so till her last breath.

When she puts her journal in her bag, she feels his presence. She looks up and there he is, standing in a black leather jacket in all his bad-boy glory, but underneath is a man who makes her feel alive, who knows where to find her when everyone else has no idea of her whereabouts, who loves her and their family with every fiber of his being. She smiles at her husband, gets up, and walks towards him. He silently offers his hand and she takes it. No words are needed in this moment.

They walk off towards the edge of the cemetery where the Camaro is parked. They get in and Damon drives to their destination. Elena looks out of the window, admiring the familiar scenery. When the car comes to a stop, she patiently waits for him to get her door. He opens it and holds his hand out again. Together they walk towards the gate where there are many couples like them, waiting for their little ones.

But all they can see is theirs. Damon knows what comes next, so he bends down and opens his arms for his hurricane to accept the invitation. And she does, gladly.

"Daddy!" she squeals when Damon twirls her. His girls have identical habits, in addition to the same brown hair and a cute-as-a-button nose. Except for his eyes, she's all Elena.

"How was your day, baby?" Elena chimes in, and she decides to suddenly jump on her Mommy. Luckily, Damon stops her in time.

"Careful, Jenna," he reminds her, pointing towards the barely there bump on Elena's belly. "Baby, remember?"

She looks guiltily between them, and like the doting mother Elena is, she takes her from Damon and kisses the crown of her head. "It's okay, angel. You just have to ask for Mommy and I'll hold you. Nothing to worry about, hmm?"

Jenna nods shyly. She might be hardly four years old, but her maturity level can rival a teenager's.

"You still haven't answered Mommy. How was preschool?"

She looks at her father, excited and ready to dish out all the details. Just when she's about to launch into it, her stomach growls loudly.

"Um, can I tell you on our way to home? I'm hungry and you did promise to make me pancakes," she says with some authority, but that's enough to melt Damon into a puddle.

"Aww. I haven't forgotten. The princess gets what she wants, although I did buy a secret ingredient which you like very much." She lights up and jumps back into her Daddy's arms. He knows how to energize his girl when she's tired.

"Choco-chips?" she asks. Damon nods, and she wraps her little arms around his shoulder, resting her face in the crook of his neck. He walks them towards the car and carefully buckles her in her car seat. Now, Elena's the one who's melting watching this interaction between father and daughter. It's not the first she's seen, but every time it fills her heart with more love for both of them.

The ride back home is filled with stories about new friends and Jenna's teacher, the first fight in school, too many babies in the hospital, and the final touches to the now-remodeled Mystic Grill. They're home in no time, where Damon busies himself in the kitchen while Elena and Jenna freshen up. When they come down, he's setting up a table on the porch.

"Special meal for my two most favorite girls in the world." Elena is not a bit surprised with the amount of food he managed to make in such a short time. He likes to spoil them. Making pancakes, waffles, sandwiches, and freshly squeezed juice is a cakewalk; he would've made them a Thanksgiving buffet if one of them had uttered a word about it.

"Wait, it's still incomplete." Before either of them can say anything, Jenna runs inside. They both look at each other, puzzled, until she comes back with whipped cream. She makes tiny fangs on all the pancakes, and in her cute voice says, "It's tradition."

Damon bursts into laughter at her words. Like mother, like daughter. She dashes back to the kitchen to return the whipped cream to its place. He can't help but shake his head at her adorable actions. When he looks at Elena, her smile is accompanying eyes full of unshed tears.

"Lena, why are you crying?" He shifts closer and wraps his arms around her. The gesture is more out of habit than for comforting her.

"Sorry, my hormones are all over the place. It's just that . . . she's grown up. She's getting older and wiser, Damon. Is it too soon?"

"Oh, baby! She's growing normally, just like she's supposed to. I guess we're just awesome parents."

"We raised her well."

"We did." He rests his free hand on her slightly protruding stomach and caresses it. "And now we'll have to repeat that same process again with this one too, mm-hmm?"

"I promise we will."

" _Damon thinks he got lucky with everything in life. He doesn't believe that he deserves peace, but that's not true. Peace exists, it lives in everything we hold dear. For me, peace is coming home to a loving family. Peace is Jenna wanting to play with my hair after a long day at work. Peace is Damon carrying me to bed every night just because he wants to. This, right here, is the epitome of a fulfilled life."_

* * *

 **Let me know what you think of it :)**


	2. Until death do us part

**Hello!**

 **I know those who followed this one-shot are going to be surprised with the alert, and truthfully I never thought of extending it. But this idea has been playing in my mind for a few weeks now and I had to get it out.**

 **It's soft and fluffy, something which is clearly not my forte, but that didn't stop my stubborn self.**

 **Enough with my ramblings. This is not beta-ed, so all the mistakes are on me and only me.**

 **See you at the bottom...**

* * *

Damon was shaking. Yes, you heard it right. Damon Salvatore, the eternal stud who was not so eternal anymore, was trembling like a leaf. Never in his 180 years in this world he had an iota of a hint that this would happen. But like every other thing in his life, this flailing of nerves was attributed to one single name.

Elena.

Elena, the other half of his soul, the love of his life, the mother of his kid(soon to be kids), and his fiance. And in a few hours, wife.

It's not like their relationship had been less than married till this point. They had already seen worse things in a few years than your average married couple does in a lifetime. She was living with him since she woke up from her coma, which was more than four years. They were bringing up their three year old together, yet a wedding seemed to be a huge stepping stone to him. She was going to take his name after taking up his heart, mind, body, soul and the right to be called the mother of his kids. And with this thought he was back to being nervous as he'll once again.

"Are you trying to lose those few inches around your belly by walking around your room?" Alaric snickered, bringing Damon out of his reverie.

"I don't know about that, but you definitely need spectacles. You're getting old, buddy." Damon retorted.

"Last I checked, you're the one born in 19th century. If I was you I wouldn't dare talk about my age." Before Ric could start feeling proud of himself for such a witty comeback, Damon pointed out towards his graying hairline and said, "Well, this says otherwise." Alaric promptly threw the tie he was holding out for him on his smirking face.

"Dick."

"Careful Ric, you're starting to sound like the guy with a vengeance who tried to kill me but ended up dead himself." Damon threw back while trying to make a perfect knot to go with his tux.

"I think it's not wise to go down the memory lane and recount all the times we both succeeded in killing each other, at least not today." Ric tried to joke but Damon knew his words had an underlying meaning.

"Yeah, let's not." He resisted himself from thinking about everything that went down between him and his best friend during the time Elena was away, but the bad memories had a way of creeping up on the worst possible moment. They were back to being friends, but it didn't mean their journey coming close the each other was full of sunshine.

It was once again Elena who brought her family together. When she read all the journals her friends wrote for her, she put the pieces together and took it upon herself to mend their broken bond. Family nights became a regular occurrence in their lives, which often ended with Dalaric(as Jeremy liked to call them) crashing in the parlor with their favorite bourbon. Gradually, the continuously flowing alcohol resulted in them talking it out. They blamed, yelled and even kicked each other one time, but in the end nothing could be worse than the idea of losing their best friend.

They were a huge part of each other's lives, but some shards which were deeply embedded cause a twinge every time we think about them.

"Okay, enough! You've officially forgotten how to tie a perfect Windsor." Alaric eased the tension by taking over the tying-the-knot job, which Damon was finding as hard as rocket science at that moment. He tried to stop Ric, but he slapped his hand away.

"Damon, I know we have talked about it numerous times, but that won't change the fact that I was a shitty friend to you, especially when you needed me the most."

"You're talking like I was Florence Nightingale reincarnated during those horrendous years.."

"Will you stop joking about every single thing and let me say this once?" Ric growled, annoyed by Damon's habit of taking it lightly. Damon straightened up, listening intently to what he had to say.

"We both know we weren't there for each other when needed, but that doesn't mean I'm not on freaking cloud nine today. As a parental figure to Elena, I'm proud that she's chosen you to be her husband. You're the right man for her." He clapped him on the shoulder, showing his appreciation for the man he had become. "And I'm also proud of you, buddy. You've made a good life for yourself, you're raising a kid fantastically, and you're going to marry an amazing woman. You already got the girl, but now you get to keep her for the rest of your lives. There's nothing in the world which would make me happier than seeing two of the most important people in my life getting their happily ever after, together." He added with a heavy voice, finishing up the knot. Damon didn't waste a breath and hugged the life out of him. Maybe this was what they needed, to not only understand their differences, but also their love for each other.

"I'm so glad to get this out, I swear." Ric said, shaking his head and they both broke into fits of laughter.

That's how Jeremy found them, sprawled on either side of the enormous bed in Damon's old room.

"Seriously? Of all the days, you chose this day to gossip and giggle like school girls?"

Damon's retort died on his tongue when he looked at him. He had his serious face on, and now that he proclaimed to be a grown up, Damon knew it'd be a risk to piss off his Bride's baby bro. Not like he had a chance with the way Jeremy was going on.

"You," he pointed at Damon, who suddenly looked like a deer caught in headlights, "Be on your way to the venue. Right. Now!" He stressed on the last two words to exercise his authority as the man of the Gilbert family, which amused Alaric to no ends.

"And you stop smiling there and go pick up the girls. Why am I the only one acting like an adult today? Here I have you two and then there's Elena, who according to Caroline is giving Niagara Falls a run for its money." Jeremy muttered, immediately catching Damon's attention.

"Wait, she was alright when we talked last night. What's wrong?"

"Don't you think it's something you should've figured out by now? You're marrying her for God's sake, I thought you knew her?"

"Damn it, Little Gilbert! You're telling me that your sister is crying non-stop on the day of our wedding, when I haven't seen her since yesterday morning. How am I supposed to know?" He almost shouted, but then another thought came to his mind.

"What if she's having second thoughts about it? She's ready for it, right?" He started pacing the room, again, much to Alaric's annoyance.

"I don't remember saying anything that could change her mind. Everything was going perfectly. Why in the world would she cry on our wedding day?"

Ric had had enough, so he grabbed Damon by his shoulders and sat him down. "Now listen to me, you thick-skulled! Women cry on special days, it's nothing. She must've been missing her parents or something, you and me both know she won't leave you. Now get your ass in the car and marry the girl."

"Elena, sweetie, I think you should stop. You're ruining two hours of my handiwork."

"I'm trying, Care. It's just that, I just can't stop crying." And then she broke down into a fresh wave of sobs.

"Shh, everything's perfect." Caroline soothed her while combing a soft hand through Elena's curled tresses. "You're going to walk down that aisle like we practiced, you're going to get married to Damon, you're going to kiss him so hard that he loses every sensible thought right there when I say 'You may kiss the bride' to him, and then you two are going to leave us for a month to make some more adorable babies like Jenna." She said in a single breath, shushing Elena in the process.

"Wow! I guess that worked. I suddenly don't feel like crying." Elena murmured the last line more to herself. The picture Caroline painted was so perfect, she forgot why she was so damn emotional before. Until she remembered the part about Jenna-like babies.

"But are you sure you'll be okay with Jenna for a month? You've two of your own too, and we know what chaos those three can create when they're together."

"Yes, Elena, I know I can handle the-"

"No, wait. What if Jenna is suddenly sick? Or she develops an allergy for something? We'll be halfway across the world, we can't come back immediately. Oh god, why didn't I think about it? How can I leave her here, alone?"

"Elena!" Caroline screeched. "Stop! Your ramblings are putting me to shame. Nothing's gonna be wrong. Now please, enough with the worrying. Just get on with this."

Damon and his groomsmen reached just in time. Now he was very impatiently waiting for his girl to be there and come running to him down the aisle. From what Jeremy told him on the way, it was clear that he won't be calm until he sees her at the altar. After putting some of the pieces together, he came to the conclusion that this was probably the doing of pregnancy hormones, but obviously he couldn't say it out loud. That was something only he and Elena knew. It was their little secret until later tonight. But it didn't hurt to be sure about her abnormal emotional breakdown.

"Relax, Damon. You gotta stop biting your nails, or Elena might not have a finger to slip the wedding band on by the time she comes here." Ric snorted, trying to ease the tension which had creeped up on him.

"I would, but the general track record of peaceful wedding ceremonies is just too bleak in this town to calm me down." He grumbled, remembering two of the most devastating days of his life. Agreeing with him, Ric finally gave up and distracted himself from the bad memories by looking around the venue. Damon and Elena had chosen a serene place to get married. Sure it was in the middle of nowhere, with a pond on the side and a touch of wilderness, but all these factors added to the tranquility of the place.

Just then the sound of the wedding band playing _A Thousand Years_ filled the surroundings. Both of them turned in time to see Caroline almost running towards the altar to take her place as the wedding officiant. She gave both of them quick smiles and waved towards her girls sitting in the front row with Matt's family.

She was followed by Bonnie, in her pale blue Maid of Honor dress, holding hands with the prettiest ring bearer _slash_ flower girl Damon had ever seen. He forgot any kind of anxiety he was feeling just by looking at her innocent face and those doe eyes. Although they were as blue as his, but still they reminded him of Elena. She was an exact replica of her mother, which made her even more precious for him. Not like she was less precious anyway.

He looked up behind her and was greeted by the most beautiful sight ever, rivaled only by the moment he saw Elena holding Jenna for the first time. She was looking like a dream, literally. For a moment there Damon thought he might pass out because of the overwhelming emotions he was experiencing.

She was holding Jeremy's arm snugly, probably because she didn't trust herself to walk through the aisle without a hitch. The place, the occasion, the people gathered around them, and the meaning of it all was dawning upon her. Holy shit! She was getting married.

But then she looked at Damon and everything faded in the background. There he was, the man she wanted to be with, whom she was already promised for eternity, the father of her kids, and about to be her husband. Just thinking about it all left her with peace in her mind, which she felt to the bone. And then he smiled, truly smiled at her. It was his smile for her. Only she was privileged to get it from him. His pretty blue eyes crinkled at the edges, making him more beautiful than ever, and his lips curved up in a lovely angle even Pythagoras couldn't name.

She had reached at the end of the aisle, where Jeremy let go of her hand and placed it in Damon's. He turned to take his seat, but not before whispering something in Damon's ear which even she couldn't hear. Damon replied with something snarky and Jeremy promptly showed him the finger.

"What was that?"

"That.. was your baby bro warning me. You know, don't ever hurt my sister and all, she's very delicate."

"And what did you say to him?"

"Nothi-"

"Damon?"

"I just said that you didn't look delicate when you were screaming my name loudly the other night." He blurted, earning a harsh glare and a punch in the arm from Elena.

"Why am I even marrying you?"

"Umm, because you love me? Because you can't live without me? Or because we already have a daughter together, and another one on the way?"

"Geez, couldn't you be quiet for once?"

He smirked, Elena trying to hide something from everyone was always amusing. "And lose the chance to boast about my ability to knock you up again? Nah, I think I'll pass." He whispered conspiratorially.

"Will you two stop your chit-chat so that I can commence your wedding? I don't know about you but the guests you invited are waiting for it." Caroline said irritatingly. They both nodded at once and begrudgingly stood a bit far, holding each other at arm's length.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of these two beautiful people. If the phrase 'made for each other' was coined thinking about someone, I can bet it was them." She smiled broadly at her own statement. "Before I begin, if anyone has any objections to this marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace." Damon scanned the crowd, for any possible offender who could ruin his day, but it was for nothing. Nothing could separate them.

"Damon and Elena have written their own vows. So Damon, you're up first. Go steal the show." She uttered the last line in a whisper, which was only audible to Damon's ears, accompanied by a wink.

He nodded his head towards his sister-in-law gratefully, and then addressed his girl. "Elena, I've been in love before, but now that I think about it, that wasn't love. That didn't make me feel a fraction of what I felt every time I was in your proximity." Elena was already tearing up, dabbing under her eyes with the back of their joined hands. "Your love has made me a better man. You've given me everything I wanted, and even things I never know I needed so much." He glanced behind her at Jenna, who was watching the ceremony full of awe and wonder. "I've been yours since the second I laid eyes on you, we've already promised each other a lifetime together. But today, I give you the only thing I hadn't yet, my name. I promise to love you, be loyal to you, make you laugh even in the darkest times I wish you'd never get to see, to hold you, support you, be your best friend, confidant and lover, for the rest of our lives." Elena couldn't stop herself from jumping into his arms. She knew whatever vows he had written, she'd be emotional by the end, but this was just too much. Her heart was exploding with the love she felt for him, which was clearly reflected in his eyes.

"Elena, it's your turn." Caroline interrupted, breaking the moment the couple was having in each other's embrace.

"I've no chance to top your vows, but here goes nothing." Damon laughed and placed a feather light kiss on his bride's forehead, giving her a silent 'go ahead'. "When we first met, you were not the guy I ever imagined getting married with. During the time we got to know each other and fell in love, we both grew as individuals. You told me that I make you a better person, but the truth is, you have influenced my growth from a girl who just wanted to give up and sacrifice herself whenever things got difficult, to a woman who learnt to face it heads on and fight for herself. Every moment that I've spent being in love with you has been a blessing, no matter how tough the going got, and I'm not sorry for anything. I'll be spending the rest of my life giving you all the love and devotion you deserve, and more than that. I promise to love you, trust you, be your rock, your sounding board, to hold your hand when the pessimist in you comes up, and to be yours till the end of your lives." She breathed out, and when she really looked into Damon's eyes, they were glistening with tears full of adoration. She mentally patted her back.

"Wow! I don't even think I need to ask, but do you, Damon Salvatore, take my best friend, Elena Gilbert, to be your wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?" Caroline asked.

"Of course I do." Damon said and kissed Elena's hand. He couldn't stop touching her. The thought that this woman standing in front of him was now lawfully his was enough to take his breath away, but holding her grounded him.

"And do you, Elena Gilbert, take my brother-in-law, Damon Salvatore, to be your husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"

"I do." Elena's voice was getting heavier by the second. Thankfully, Caroline called up Jenna to bring the rings to distract her. Looking at her parents, in her pink dress, witnessing this moment between them with a twinkle in her eye, she reminded Elena of her childhood self, the one who was ignorant of the supernatural world around her. At that moment she wished that her daughter would never get to see the things she survived.

Damon took the wedding band from Jenna and slipped it on Elena's ring finger. It looked perfect with her huge engagement ring. Elena did the same.

"With the power vested in me by the state of Virginia, I now pronounce you husband and wife." With that the entire gathering erupted into applause and cheers. Caroline was yet to say Damon's favorite part though.

"Blondie, I think you're forgetting a very important detail here." He hissed. Clearly enjoying his annoyance, she pretended to be oblivious about it for a few seconds, but after he sent a death glare towards her, she couldn't pretend and said with a laugh. "And you may kiss the bride, Damon."

"You bet I will." He punched his fist in the air like a kid. Even Jenna was thoroughly enjoying her father's theatrics.

He leaned towards Elena and whispered, "Until death do us part." And then he kissed her like he had never done before, but before it could escalate, Elena pulled back.

"Uh-huh, I think you promised me forever. Death will be too soon to leave you." She reminded him.

"If it makes you happy, I intend to find you in every life after this life ends."

Satisfied with his answer, she grinned and said, "Deal!" before they lost themselves in each other.

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 **If you have any ideas/headcanons about Delena post their HEA, let me know here via PM or on twitter Delenarya, and I'll see where it goes.**

 **Read and Review, pretty please?**


	3. Delayed dinners and secret rendezvous

**And I'm back again!This chapter is based on Jas' (eienarya on twitter) headcanon. Jas, I hope it lives up to your expectations.**

 **Thanks to Kelly (faith2727) for beta reading it on such a short notice. Ya'll are getting it so soon because she's really quick and a pro with these things. Check out her stories and thank me later .**

 **This chapter is rated M, for obvious reasons *winks***

 **Happy reading :)**

* * *

"Damon, I'm so sorry, but I really don't think I can make it."

"But I asked you this morning, Elena. And you said your shift will be over by 7. I've started the anniversary dinner, and your cake is in the oven. Can't you manage to get out of there a bit earlier?"

"Even if I could, I won't be able to. You know about this patient of mine. I can't leave her under anyone else's care."

"But Elena-"

"Please, Damon. Don't make this difficult for me. You know I'd have made it." Elena sighed, slowly sliding against the wall in the changing room. "Don't wait up for me. Cut the cake with Jenna on my behalf. I'll eat what you've cooked when I come back, okay?" she added in a soothing voice.

"Yeah, sure. Love you," Damon said, his tone clearly full of disappointment.

"Damon, please try t—"

"I do understand, Elena. Don't worry, we're good."

Elena smiled, feeling a bit relieved now. "Okay, love you too. Bye." She hung up and went to change quickly, determined to be done with her work with a renewed energy in order to go back to her husband as soon as she could manage. At least before midnight, she thought.

* * *

"Jenna, dinner is ready. Your playtime can resume later," Damon called, but there was no response. After setting the table, he went to check on her. On his way, he peeked inside the nursery to see the newest addition in their family sleeping soundly. He couldn't leave before touching him, so he went in and kissed the top of his head. He looked in wonder at their little miracle once more before leaving him to see his other wonder. When he reached Jenna's room, he found her huddled in a corner near the bed.

"Baby girl, why aren't you coming out?" he asked while approaching her. She looked up and the sight that greeted him brought a huge smile to his face. His little wonder's face was a tiny canvas in itself, with different colored streaks running across it.

"Were you painting your face?" She giggled when he sat down and took her in his arms, tickling her a bit. "Look at you, all colorful and pretty." He tapped her nose playfully. Before he could enquire more, the drawing sheet in her hand caught his attention.

"I made you and Mom a gift. See?" He was awestruck. She had drawn a man with inky black hair and ocean blue eyes, who had his arm around a brunette. She was stroking a little girl's hair, which Damon presumed was Jenna's depiction of her own. In her other hand, she had a baby bundled up. The way she had paid attention to all the details made him all the more proud of her.

"Jenna, this is perfect. It's the best gift anyone has ever given me," he beamed.

"You like it, Daddy?" She was still feeling so shy and unsure about her gift that it was adorable. Damon placed a kiss on her hair and answered, "I love it, princess. You've done a great job. I'm sure your mom is gonna burst into tears when you show it to her."

She placed her delicate arms around his neck and hugged him, silently thanking him for the compliment. He softly patted her back. Moments like these made him realize how lucky he was. The two wonderful girls in his life made it beautiful, and the birth of their son was like a cherry on top. Every day he woke up and thanked his stars when he saw them both in the kitchen making breakfast, or on the porch braiding each other's hair. It was everything a person could desire and more. He wasn't worried about being undeserving of this life now, not at all. Being with Elena made him realize that he was meant to be with his family. He deserved every bit of his happy ending.

"I'm hungry, Daddy. Let's eat," Jenna spoke, drawing his attention once more. He picked her up, and after making sure there was no trace of colors on his face, he set her down on her chair.

They ate quietly with Jenna occasionally commenting about her father's amazing cooking skills. After they were done, he cut the cake with her and fed her a considerable portion of it. She was glad her mother wasn't home to see her father spoiling her with a sugary treat.

"Jenna, how do you feel about spending the night at Josie and Lizzie's?" Damon asked in between feeding her a spoonful, an evil glint in his eyes. Jenna immediately showed her approval by nodding wildly. "Wait up, let me inform Aunt Caroline that we are coming over to drop you off." He disappeared to get his phone, his plan already set in motion.

* * *

Elena dropped her lab coat on the visitor's chair and braced a hand against the wall nearby, rubbing her forehead with the other. She was glad that her patient, little Charlotte, was fine now, but it took a toll on her. She looked at the almost-empty corridor of the hospital, bare except for a few nurses and families. How she longed to be with her family on a special day like her anniversary.

"Dr. Salvatore, Charlotte is awake," the on-duty nurse let her know, and she rushed to check on her. After ensuring everything was alright and Charlotte would be okay with the nurses, she decided to finish her remaining duties and leave for home as soon as she could.

As she was walking towards reception to get some patient files, she felt a presence behind her. Before she could turn around, the person in question took hold of her waist, put the other hand over her mouth, and dragged her to the supply closet nearby.

She was about to defend herself when she recognized the touch. His touch. She might have been startled at first, but once the initial shock wore off, she knew it was him. Her husband.

His hand left her mouth, but the other one tightened around her middle, bringing her nearer to him. Her back was pressed against his solid chest, and she sighed at the feeling of being in his proximity.

"What are you doing here, Damon?" she breathed, clearly affected by Damon's breath on her neck.

"I figured if I couldn't tempt you with my awesomely cooked dinner, I'd change my tactics and tempt you with something more… delicious," he replied, enjoying his wife's uneven breathing.

"Mm-hmm, and what would that be?" She was hanging by a thread now, and Damon hadn't even touched her yet.

"This." He turned her around and pointed towards the Tupperware in his hand. "Cake. I wouldn't let you miss it." Elena was pulled out of her daze by Damon's smirking face. Annoyed by him, she lightly pushed him away.

"What did you expect? You got your gift already, the only thing left was cake." He wiggled his eyebrows for good measure, letting her know how much he was enjoying tormenting her.

"You're an ass!" she exclaimed, turning back towards the door halfheartedly, but Damon immediately pulled her back.

"I thought that was known by now," he mocked her. Before she could retort, he quickly pulled her in for a kiss. She forgot everything, relishing in the feel of his lips against hers. When she touched them with her tongue, he instantly gave her access to his mouth. They kissed lazily, exploring each other's mouths without hurrying to escalate things.

"Mmm, I like this."

"What? Us kissing like it's the first time?"

"Nah. That too. But the fact that you came down here with cake. The way you try to keep the spark in our marriage alight? Amazing."

"Who said I only came with the cake?" he smirked. When Elena raised an eyebrow questioningly, he looked down at the raging erection he was sporting.

"God, I can't believe I married you. Crude!" She tried to look offended, but failed miserably. In reality, she was counting down the seconds till she got to go home and make love to him.

Happily for her, he came with a mission: to relieve her of her agony.

"Yep, because you were too addicted to my body to let it go," he answered, feeling all hot and bothered himself now.

Elena inched closer with pure seduction in her eyes. "True," she purred, "and my addiction needs its fix. Now!"

"The wife gets what the wife wants," he murmured before lifting Elena up and wrapping her legs around his waist. He went straight for her neck. After so many years together, he knew her trigger points too well. His ministrations gave him the deserved result when she started rubbing her hot core against his groin.

"Baby, if you want me to last till I get to be inside you, you gotta slow down," he panted, not able to control himself any longer. "Damn it, Elena. I said hold—" He couldn't finish what he was saying as Elena attacked his mouth, kissing him with fervor. That, combined with the way she was gyrating her hips, was driving him insane.

He decided to take matters into his own hands and dropped her on her feet. Elena stumbled, which gave him the perfect opportunity to push her against the closet wall and go down on his knees. Before she could comprehend what was happening, he had pulled her pants and panties down and attached his mouth to her wet center.

"Damon, God!" She almost screamed, forgetting that they were in fact in a hospital's supply closet. But she was beyond caring; he had awakened such a hunger inside her, which wasn't easily satiable. Anyone could've walked in on them and she wouldn't have given a damn.

"Yes, please! Right there, yeah." He was lapping her pussy greedily, like a kid with his favorite candy. His hand slowly inched up, unbuttoning her shirt on its way. When he got access to her breasts, he wasted no time in cupping them roughly. Elena growled; she was feeling him everywhere at once. The moment he pushed her bra aside and started toying with a nipple, she lost it. Waves of pleasure hit her, hard, and she took a hold of his hair to stay grounded. She literally felt like she was flying.

"Please, Damon." She was begging to be released from this torment, which Damon understood perfectly.

"I got you, Lena," he said against her skin before he started sucking on her clit rapidly and rolling her pebbled nipple between his thumb and forefinger. When Elena looked down, her eyes found his lust-filled ones, his lips suckling her while his other hand was stroking himself through his jeans. It was enough to push her over the edge. She trembled with the power of her orgasm. If it wasn't for Damon's hand holding her, she would've crumpled into a pile on the floor.

"Oh my God, that was incredible," Elena panted, pulling him up by his collar.

"'Damon' is fine, but if you like 'God' more, I'm cool with that too," he said proudly before kissing her. Her taste on his tongue mixed with his own unique taste made her horny again in a matter of seconds. Her hands automatically went to his belt and it was undone the next moment. She didn't waste her time pulling his jeans down and went straight to her destination.

"Elena," he hissed, "you feel so good."

Motivated by his response, she increased her speed and worked him into a frenzy. When she was sure he was about to go over the edge, she stopped suddenly.

"What the—" He was about to protest when he saw her pulling his jeans down, enough to get what she wanted. She stroked him a few times for good measure before slowly guiding him towards her waiting core. After rubbing her wetness all over him, she raised herself a bit and sank down on him.

"Ugh!" he groaned at her tightness, amazed at the fact that even after having two kids, she fit him so snugly. He pressed her against the wall and, cupping her ass, he slowly started pushing into her with lazy strokes.

"More, Damon. I-I need more." Her voice was faltering, a signal for Damon that she was getting ready to let go soon. He complied and started thrusting into her wildly. Elena was full on screaming now.

"Shh." He put his hand over her mouth. "You wouldn't want your colleagues listening to you scream while you come, now would you?" he said in between thrusts. Elena was shaking her head, pulling her hair and holding on to Damon for dear life. When he was sure she'd be quieter, he removed his hand, but instead of pulling it away, he dragged it down and started playing with her bundle of nerves, which was her undoing. She came again, this time with more force, and clenched around Damon tightly. He couldn't hold off and let her pull him into the depths of pleasure with her. He kept pushing into her until his legs gave out and they both sank into a heap of sweaty bodies on the small floor.

"Mr. Salvatore." Elena was breathing harshly, as if she just ran a marathon. "I think you're getting older," she teased him, pointing to their current position.

"Mrs. Salvatore, if I was old, you'd have been lying here all hot and bothered and unsatisfied," he threw back.

She punched his chest lightly. "I wish we could have sex once without you boasting about your abilities in the sack," she wondered loudly, giving him the side eye.

"Well, going by the way you're all wobbly after we have sex, I'd say I've a right to boast," he answered back with a kiss. When they parted, he rested his forehead against hers.

"Happy Anniversary, Mrs. Salvatore."

"To you too, Mr. Salvatore."

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